Volver, Pedro Almodóvar (2006)

Almodóvar’s last three movies, All About My Mother, Talk to Her, and Bad Education, were, in my opinion, each and every one of them brilliant. Rich, complex, poetic, resonant, gorgeous movies. He had to stumble sometime, and here he has. It’s not a bad movie, but it’s in no way as exciting or complex as these other recent outings. Penelope Cruz plays the typical Almodóvar heroine, sexy and gritty and vulnerable in equal measures. The theme, again typical, is solidarity among women, who will do anything to ensure each others’ safety, including disposing of bodies and coming back from the dead. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very good movie, it’s just a bit more one-note than other recent ones.